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The Stat Line Of The Night — 1/4/11 — Dwayne Roloson

After struggling throughout December, many felt that a big win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Winter Classic on New Years Day was just what the Washington Capitals needed in order to turn things around. Unfortunately for them, Dwayne Roloson wasn’t having any of that.

After being acquired by the Tampa bay Lightning in a trade with the New York Islanders for defenseman Ty Wishart over the weekend, Roloson made his first start for his new club and was perfect, stopping all 34 shots he faced in a 1-0 overtime win. In a game featuring several of the league’s top offensive players, it was the two goalies that stole the show, and in the end the 41-year-old veteran was able to outlast his 22-year-old counterpart, Semyon Varlamov.

With the win, the Lightning took over sole possession of first place in the Southeast Division. They also moved into a tie with the Philadelphia Flyers atop the Eastern Conference standings. That is a vast improvement for a team who has not made the playoffs since 2007. Scoring is certainly not an issue with the likes of Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis leading the charge, and with the addition of Roloson they may finally have an answer to their goaltending problems. If that is the case, the Lightning could put together a strong Stanley Cup run, but for now Roloson will have to settle for “The Stat Line of the Night” for Tuesday, January 4, 2011.